Evener and whiffletree coupling.



G. A. HENNIOKE.

EVENER AND WHIFFLETREE COUPLING.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 29, 1908.

944,264, Patented De0.28,1909.

I'NVENTOR CHARLES A. HENNICKE, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK.

EVENER AND WHIFFLETREE COUPLING.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Dec. 28, 1909. Serial No.469,798.

Application filed December 29, 1908.

4 is the top member of the evener coupling. This member is formed at itsforward end with a downwardly extending flange and use i portion 5, andprojecting downwardly from said flange is a strong draft pin 6, havingon its lower end a head or rlange 7. The mem- To all whom it mayconcern:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES NICKE, of Buffalo, county of Erie, of NewYork, have invented a new ful Improvement in Evener and \Vhiffietree lCouplers, of which the following is a full, t clear, and exact descrption, reference belng ber'fl 18 provided also with bolt holeswherehadttottltigaccompfiany ng drawlingks, forming 1g tlztansbespcutrepl to the elvtlener bar by par 0 1S speci ca ion, in w 11c 1e 0 sanc a 1 s rear enc ias a an -e Figure 1 is a sectional view showing the9, engaging over the rear edge of the bar. application of my invention;Figs. 2 and 3 i 16 designates the lower member of the are respectivelyplan and side views of the evener coupling, which is provided at itslower member of the coupling; Figs. 4 and rear end with a flange orshoulder 11, en- 5 are respectively side and bottom plan gaging the rearedge of the evener bar and views of the upper member of the coupling; ialso with a hook 12, for the attachment of Figs. 6 and 7 arerespectively plan and side a stay chain (not shown) extending to the A.HEN- and State 5 views of the coupling link or eye; Fig. 8 is axle ofthe vehicle. The forward end of the member 10 is bent forwardly and isformed with an enlarged flange or bearing portion 13, having therein anopening or aperture 1 1, of the proper size and shape to receive thedraft pin 6. The head 7 of this pin is shown in Fig. l as formed byflanges extending in opposite directions on two sides of the pin and thehole 1 1 is some what elongated.

a detail view showing the modification; and Fig. 9 is a plan view, on areduced scale, of a portion of the evener and Whittle tree, and showingthe whilfie tree swung at right angles, in dotted lines.

My invention has relation to evener and whitfie tree couplings, and isdesigned to provide a coupling of this character, which will carry thewhifile tree directly in front of the evener and which will permit thewhifile tree to adjust itself to the different lines of draft when thevehicle is passing over rough and uneven roads; also to do away with theold fashioned link or ring connection between the whiffie tree andevener, and thereby prevent the Whittle tree from swinging loosely atthe ends of the animals heels and avoid the possibility of its hind legsbecoming entangled with the traces.

Another object is to so construct the couplings that the whiffle treescan be turned at right angles, or to a position approximately arallel tothe tongue when not in use.

A further object is to produce an evener and whiftle tree coupling whichcombines simplicity of construction with great strength and low cost.

The nature of my invention will be best understood by reference to theaccompanying drawing, which will now be described, it being premised,however, that various changes may be made in the details of construction and arrangement without departing from the spirit and scope ofmy invention as defined in the appended claims.

In these drawings, the numeral 2 in Fig. 1 designates the evener bar,and 3 the whiffle tree.

To insert the pin 6 in the hole 14, it is necessary to turn one memberat approximately right angles to the other, so that the head of the pinwill pass through the opening after which the members are turned intotheir normal parallel relation, whereby the head 7 forms an efficientlock for the purpose. The member 10 is also provided with bolt holes toreceive the bolts 8. Instead of providing the pin 6 with the head 7, acotter pin 15 may be used, as shown in Fig. 8, or any other suitablefastening, such as a nut or washer, may be employed.

16 is the coupling eye which is provided with a body portion 17, 0fsufiicient size and thickness to substantially fill the space betweenthe fiange portions 5 and 13 of the upper and lower coupling members,and which is also provided with an aperture 18 therethrough, for thedraft pin 6. The eye is also provided with a bearing portion 19, to fitagainst the rear side of the whiffle tree 3 and formed with bolt holes20, or other suitable means .by which it can be rigidly secured to thewhiffle tree. The rear upper portion of the bearing flange 13 isrounded, as shown at 21, and the forward lower surface of the bearingflange 5 is rounded or beveled, as shown at 21*, these rounded orbeveled surfaces permitting an upward rocking movement of the member 17to adjust itself to varying strains and different positions, while thevehicle is passing over rough and uneven roads. The forward portion ofthe upper surface of the flange 13 5 and the rear portion of the lowersurface of the bearing flange 5 are flat surfaces which engagecorresponding surfaces on the member 17 and hold said member in ahorizontal position, preventing the same from dropping and allowing thewhiffie tree to swing loosely at the heels of the animal.

By reference to Fig. 9, it will be seen that l the coupling is soconstructed that the whiffle trees can be turned to a plane parallel tothe tongue, when not in use, thereby greatly economizing stable space.

It will be seen that my improved coupling is not only simple and strongin its construction, but can be manufacturedat a low cost, and that thewhiffle tree will be carried directly in front of the evener and alsoprevented from swinging loosely at the animals i heels, while free toadjust itself to the varying lines of draft.

I claim: 1. An evener coupling having a top member provided at its frontend with a flange "portion and carrying a draft p n having aninterlocking flange or head at its lower end, the flange portion beingrounded on its lower front side to admit of upward rocking movement ofthe whiffie tree coupling, substan- Citially as described.

2. An evener coupler, consisting of upper and lower members secured tothe evener bar, one of sa d members having an opening and the other ofsaid members having fa draft pin engaging said opening, said membershaving opposed separated flange portions, and a coupling member engagingthe draft pin between said flange portions, said flange portions havingcarrying sur- 'faces arranged to prevent downward movement of thecoupling but to permit an upward rocking movement thereof; substantiallyas described.

3. A whiflle tree coupling having a body portion formed with an openingtherethrough for a draft pin, said body portion having a flat uppersurface and having its lower surface beveled or rounded to permit of anupward rocking movement of said coupling to accommodate the coupling todifferent lines of draft, substantially as described.

4. An evener and whiffle tree coupling having upper and lower members, acoupand ling eye .adapted to receive a draft pin carried by one of saidmembers, and means for normally holding said eye in horizontal positionwhile permitting upward rocking movement thereof to accommodate it todifferent lines of draft, substantially as described.

5. An evener and whiflietree coupler, comprising top and bottom memberssecured to the evener bar and having projecting opposed flange orbearing portions, one of said bearing portions having a draft pin whichextends through the other member, and a coupling member having an eyewhich loosely engages the said pin, said eye having a rocking bearingbetween said bearing portions, the eye and the bearing portions havingcooperating bearing and stop surfaces for permitting an upward movementof the eye from its normal position while preventing downward movementbelow its normal positions; substantially as described.

6. An evener and whiflie tree coupler comprising top and bottom memberssecured to the evener bar and having opposed flange or hearing portions,one of said bearing portions having a draft pin extending through theother bearing in, and a coupling eye extending between the flange orbearing port ons and engaging the draft pin, together with means forperm tting an upward rocking movement of said eye to accommodate it todifferent lines of draft and for preventing its downward movement,substantially as described.

7. An evener and whiflle-tree connection, comprising a member secured tothe evener bar and projecting forwardly therefrom, a wlr'flle-treehaving a member secured thereto projecting .rearwardly therefrom, apivot connection between the said members arranged to permit the freemovement of the whifiie-tree partially around the end of the evener barto a position substantially at right angles to said bar, the two membershaving cooperating bearing and stop surfaces arranged to permit thewhiflie-tree member to assume different angular positions with referenceto the other member to adapt the connection to different lines of draft;substantially as described.

In testimony whereof, I havehereunto set my hand. CHARLES A. HENNICKE.Witnesses:

AUGUST DERNER, PAUL RIoE.

portion and locked there- I

